Off To A Flying Start

When the Flying Dutchman announced he was going off the air, he wasn't too explicit about his plans other than focusing on his businesses outside radio, "... shore up the businesses to make sure they give me the retirement I want.” Which prompted his co-host to ask if he was retiring to prepare for retirement. Sounds like he's heading for a  busman's holiday, where a man who drives a bus for a living goes on a long bus journey on their holiday.

Another personality who hanged up his trademark yellow wellington boots in 2014 said he wants to spend the next 20 years making his family smile. One of his regrets is missing his firstborn’s first steps: “I left the house and the baby was still crawling. I came home late – the baby was walking.” Since Gurmit Singh's youngest child is a 20-month-old baby girl, plans for another must be on the way.

Fandi Ahmad was more candid when interviewed for 8 Days magazine’s 27 November 2014 issue, "“I want to retire in Batam.  I like the kampungs there with their coconut trees. Singapore has no kampungs anymore, and it’s getting so expensive!” Outside of football, he went through two failed investments  made in the early 2000s – a used car dealership and a coffee shop.

At least these guys still have the resources to look forward to their dreams of retirement.

Recently some of us pooled in to top up the depleted Medisave account of one senior citizen relative who needs monthly check-ups and medication. Rude awakening number 1: There are two lanes for payment, an express one for payment in cash, and a slow lane for those who pay by Medisave and have to fill up a form to do so. Rude awakening number 2: A maximum of $400 can be deducted within one year. Anything extra, pay in cash. If you have the cash.